In the recent past, there have high cases of theft and robbery around Nairobi and other major cities countrywide.
These thefts might happen to you at the least expected time when you have no budget to buy a new phone.
So if you lose your phone or it has been stolen, here are steps you can follow to recover your data and your handset as well.
Step 1: Call your phone
The first step to take when you lose your phone is by using another phone to call your phone. If your phone was on silent mode, you could use your carrier’s mobile app to override your phone’s ringer setting and sound an alert.
You can use this technique to find out if your phone is near where you just lost it.
Step 2: Text your cell phone
If you have text messages set on your lost phone’s display on the home screen, you should text your number. This will help a good samaritan get back your phone back to you.
You should text your phone giving instructions on how the good samaritan can reach you, just in case they find it.
Step 3: Use your phone’s built-in find my phone feature
Your phone’s built-in security features can allow you to track, ring, lock, or erase it remotely. This feature will only happen if it is enabled.
The name of this feature varies from one phone to the other. On Samsung devices, it is called Find MY Mobile; on Google Pixel it is, Find My Device, while on an iPhone, it is called Find My App.
Step 4: Erase the data in your phone remotely.
Once you are certain that your phone is stolen, you should remotely delete all the data from your phone. This will help keep the information on your phone safe.
You should erase this information as soon as possible as some thieves may remove your SIM card or use special devices that protect your phone from cellular networks, making it difficult for you to clear the device if you delay.
Step 5: Lock your phone and change security locks.
If you can’t easily locate your phone, use its find my phone features to lock it remotely. You can also use the features to change the passwords on the phone’s apps.
Step 6: Contact your mobile carrier.
If you cannot locate your phone, reach out to the carrier for your consumer cellular plan. They can disable your phone’s services and mark the phone as unusable even with a new SIM or new carrier.
Step 7: Report to the police.
You may need to report to the police about you losing your phone. The police may help you track the phone as well as protest fraudulent charges made with your devices.
